1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a closure for a container. In particular, the closure has a horizontal slit in a top portion and a snap bead that can fit onto a mating locking ring of a container.
2. Description of Related Art
Snap closures are widely known and are of many different varieties. In one form, the snap closure has a skirt portion with a pair of annular snap beads and an inner locking lug. The snap closure can be put on a neck finish of a container having a mating annular locking ring to close the container. In some snap closures, the snap closure can be more easily removed from the container by rotating the inner locking lug to align with a notch (i.e., gap) or discontinuity located in an annular locking ring on the neck finish of the container. In such position, known as the “fire” position, the snap closure is effectively unlocked to facilitate removal. The pair of annular snap beads is circumferentially extending on the inner wall of the skirt with the midpoint of the snap beads diametrically opposite the lug for snap locking engagement with the annular locking ring. The locking lug lies in the same plane as the snap beads to likewise snap fit beneath the locking ring when the cap is manually pressed down over the container neck.
The snap closure skirt has an outer finger tab in alignment with the locking lug to provide a bearing surface for the operator's thumb or finger in lifting off the snap closure when the thumb tab and locking lug are oriented into alignment with the notch in the annular locking ring. Indicium that may be in the form of a triangle serving as a pointer is normally provided on the container neck to indicate when the locking lug is accurately in registry with the notch or gap of the annular locking ring.
The snap closure skirt is relatively stiff and rigid although sufficiently resilient so the skirt can flex radially outward upon snap closure removal as co-acting cam surfaces between the snap beads and the locking ring permit the beads to ride upwardly over a major diameter portion of the locking ring in the process of disengaging the beads from the locking ring during snap closure removal.